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119-hr-1848119th Congress

Houthi Human Rights Accountability Act

Sponsored By: Representative Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48]

In Committee

Summary

Targeted sanctions and regular U.S. reporting on Houthi human rights abuses would create a formal U.S. framework to identify, report on, and sanction Houthi actors who obstruct humanitarian aid or commit serious rights violations, and it would last for five years unless extended.

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  • Humanitarian organizations and civilians: Requires assessments of obstacles to aid in areas under de facto Houthi control, including access limits, interference with beneficiary data, and violence or intimidation against aid workers. These findings feed into required agency reports and sanction decisions.
  • Houthi leaders and support networks: Directs the Secretary of State and Secretary of the Treasury to make sanctions determinations under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights and Accountability Act and the Robert Levinson Hostage Taking and Accountability Act, including targeting those complicit in hostage-taking, restricting humanitarian delivery, or listed human rights abuses. Sanctions reviews must occur not later than 180 days after enactment and annually thereafter.
  • U.S. agencies and congressional oversight: Charges the Secretary of State, working with the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), to produce timed assessments of Houthi indoctrination risks and threats to regional stability, and names specific congressional committees for reporting. The act includes a five-year sunset.

*Would establish a temporary, report-driven sanctions regime focused on humanitarian access and human rights in Houthi-controlled areas.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Annual sanctions checks on Houthis

If enacted, the Secretary of State, with the Treasury, would tell Congress within 180 days whether Houthi members meet rules for sanctions. The Secretary would repeat that determination every year. The review would look at human rights abuses, obstruction of humanitarian aid, and hostage-taking criteria for Global Magnitsky and Levinson-related sanctions. The bill would also define who counts as a United States person, a foreign person, and the Houthis.

Act ends after five years

If enacted, the Act would terminate five years after its enactment date. All its reporting and sanction authorities would stop on that date unless Congress passes a law to extend them.

Reports on Houthi abuses and aid

If enacted, the Secretary of State would deliver several reports to Congress within 180 days. One report would cover Houthi indoctrination and regional threats. One report would document Houthi human rights abuses from March 1, 2015 through 90 days after enactment. One report would describe obstacles to humanitarian aid from January 1, 2020 through 90 days after enactment. Some reports would be prepared with the USAID Administrator.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48]

CA • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2025

  • Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

    NY • R

    Sponsored 3/5/2025

  • Rep. Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2025

  • Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2025

  • Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2025

  • Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 12/3/2025

  • Rep. Gillen, Laura [D-NY-4]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 12/15/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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